Car-door-operating mechanism



A. GOTTSCHALK. CAB DOOR OPERATING MECHANSM APPLICATION FILED OCT. 18, 19! 9.

Patented Aug. 8, 1922.

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A. GOTTSCHALK.

CAR DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 18,1919.

1,424,814, mm Au 8, 1922.

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ALBERT GOTTSCHALK, OF NEW YORK, N. 'Y., ASSIGNOR TO NATIONAL PNEUMATIC COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA CAR-DOOR-OPERATING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 8, 1922.

T 0 all whomit may concern;

Be it known that I, ALBERT Go'rTsoHALK, a citizen of the United States. and resident of New York, in the county of Bronx and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Car-Door- Operating Mechanism, of which improvement the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mechanism for operating doors, such as car doors. on trains of one or more cars, particularly adapted for multiple unit train service such as employed on subway and elevated railways. where it is desirable that the doors of one or more cars may be controlled from a single point. I

one of the objects vof my invention is to provide improved means for controlling the operation of the door motor. whereby the fluid pressure for actuating the motor may be controlled either electrically or pneumatically. or by both agencies, as desired. Another object is to provide means for auto matically preventing the opening of any one or more doors that are not opposite the platform at the time when the mechanism is manipulated to open the car doors. Vith these and other objects in view. my invention comprises certain improved constructions which will now be more fully described. the novel features and combinations being .set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a diagram of a car equipment of door operating mechanism embodying my improvement; Fig. 2, a vertical longitudinalsection of one form of door operating motor, and a magnet valve device connected thereto; Fig. 3, a transverse section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a diagram, in plan, illustrating one relation of the safety switches of the door circuits to the car platform; Fig. 5, a plan, showing one form of safety switch; and Fig. 6, a view showing a modified form of safety switch.

In the class of service above referred to. the cars are provided with a plurality of doors. usually three or 'more on each side. and there is a fluid pressure motor connected to each door for operating the same. In the diagram. Fig. 1, there are three such door motors, 13. shown, but it will be understood that any desired number may be employed. Any suitable or preferred form of fluid pressure motor may he used for opening and closing the door, and I have illustrated, in Fig. 2, a standard form of differentral motor comprising a casing having opposlte cylinders of different diameters and cont-alningth'e differential pistons, 14 and 15. connected by rack bar. 16, meshing with seg mental gear. 17. mounted on shaft. 18. in the 'valve is turned to its position for admitting fluid to passage. 24, and to the large piston. 15, the force overcomes the pressure acting on the small piston, 14, and moves the differentlal piston to the right. thereby operating through the gear and shaft connection to turn the arm, 20, down to a substantially horlzontal position and close the door. i

According to one of the features of my invention. improved means are provided for shifting the valve, 23, of the motor either electrically or pneumatically. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings, one construction for this purpose comprises a piston. 25, contalned in a cylindrical chamber formed in one head of the motor cylinder. and adapted to operate a cam member. 26. mounted on the stem. 27, of the valve 23. The rotation of the stem 27 rotates the valve 23 to cover or uncover its respective ports in the usual manner, that is, to in any one position establish communication between the source 21 and the port 24 leading into the cylinder of larger diameter behind the piston 15 in the one instance and to exhaust the said pressure in the other instance, as is the usual well established practice with differential motors of this type. The rotary valve is as shown located directly within the cylinder and is carried by, to form part of, the cylinder head, in this instance of the cylinder of smaller diameter. A spring, 28. normally holds the piston. 25, in one position with the valve, 23, in position to supply the fluid to the port, 24, and the large head, 15, of the motor piston, which is the'door closing position. In order to shift the valve, 28, to its other position for exhausting fluid from the large cylinder to open the door, T provide a standard magnet valve device, 30, the coil of which is connected to the door operating circuit, 31, and having its armature attached to the supply valve, 32, and exhaust valve, 33, in the usual way. The supply valve, 32, is normally held closed by a light spring and the fluid pressure admitted by passage, 34, to the spring chamber beneath the valve, while the exhaust valve, 33, opens communication from the chamber of piston, 25, through passage, 35, to the exhaust port, 36, and the atmosphere. \Vhen the magnet coil is energized, however, the exhaust valve,

33, is closed and the supply valve, 32, is opened for admitting fluid pressure from the supply, 21, and. port, 34, through passage, 35, to the piston, 25, to shift the valve, 23, to its position for opening the door.

For operating the valve by a direct control of fluid pressure independently of the magnet valve, an additional piston, 25*, may be mounted in close proximity to piston, 25, and arranged to co-operate with thesame against the action of the spring, 28. The supply of fluid to the piston, 25*, by means of pipe, 37, may be controlled by a manually operated valve, such as indicated at 38, inFig. 1, and having a port, 39, adapted, in one po sition to connect the supply pipe, 21, with pipe, 37, and in another position, to open communication from the pipe, 37 to the exhaust pipe, 40. The contacts, 41, of the door operating circuit, 31, to the magnet valves, are also preferably mounted in close proximity to the valve, 38, so that the movable contact, 42, for closing the circuit across contacts, 41, may be operated by the same handle, 43', of the manual valve.

When the handle, 43, is in the position shown, the pipe, 37, is exhausted to the atmosphere, and the circuit, 31, is open, so that the spring, 28, acting through piston, 25, moves cam, 26, to the position shown in Figure 2, and thereby rotates the valve stem 27 and turns the valve, 23, to the closed door positioni c. with the cylinder of larger diameter in communication with the source of pressure. When the handle, 43, is turned a short distance, clockwise, the exhaust passage, 40, is cut off, and the contact, 42. closes the circuit, 31, at the points, 41, thereby energizing the magnet valves, 30 to operate all the door motors to the open door position as before described. If, for any reason, the electric operation should fail, a slight further movement of the valve handle, 43, serves to connect the supply pipe, 21, with the pipe, 37, thereb admitting fluid to the piston, 25, of al the door motor valve devices and operate the same to open the doors. When the hand valve, 38, is turned back to the closing position, the fluid is exhausted from pipe, 37 through cavity: 39, and pipe, 40, to the atmosphere, and the springs, 28,

return the distribution valve, 23, to the posi-.

tion for actuating the motors to close the doors.

It will be noticed that the port, 35, for supplying fluid from the magnet valve communicates with the space between the pistons, 25 and 25, in their normal positions, so that when the magnet valve is energized, the fluid from port, 35, acts on piston, 25, to move the same away from the piston, 25" but the latter piston prevents the escape of the fluid into the pipe, 37. This piston also prevents escape of fluid from pipe, 37, to the passage, 35, and the exhaust port of the magnet valve, when the distribution valve is op erated pneumatically by a direct supply of fluid by hand valve, 38, to the pipe, 37. It will thus be seen that the two systems are independent, so that when operating with either one, the exhaust from the other is closed and there is no interference in the operation.

While I have shown a standard form of differential piston motor and interior rotary valve for operating the door, it will be understood that my invention is not limited thereto, but is equally applicable to any suitable form of fluid pressure motor and distribution valve therefor.

According to another feature of my improvement, the operating circuits to the respective magnet valves, 30, of the door motors are each provided with an automatic switch device so controlled by the relation of the car to the platform that when any particular car door is not opposite the platform, the switch in the circuit to that particular magnet valve shall be open, so that only the doors that are opposite the plat form will be opened when the handle is moved by the operator to the position for energizing the magnets to open the doors. Such a switch is indicated, diagrammatically, at 45, Fig. 1, in the branch circuits to the magnet coils, 30, and is shown more in detail in Figs. 4, 5, and 6. As shown in Fig. 5, the switch comprises an arm, 46, pivoted upon a bracket, 47, and carrying the mova le contact member, 48, for opening and closing the circuits, 31, at the fixed contact points. 49. The arm is normally held in its extended position from the side of the car by a spring, 50, with the switch open, but when the arm engages the platform as the car passes along. it swings on its pivot to close the switch, 45, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 5. The arms may be located at the doors so that if any one or more of said doors should not be opposite the platform at the time the train stops, such switches will remain open, as indicated at the left in Fig. 4, and the magnet valves of such doormotors will not be energized. This is a safety feature for preventing possible danger and accident by falling from an inadvertently opened door. Fig. 6 shows a modified form of automatic switch, in which the circuit is closed by a conductor strip, 45*, mounted on the platform and adapted to engage projecting contact fingers, 45 mounted on the'car.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a door operating mechanism, the combination of a fluid pressure motor for the door, and means for controlling the operation of the motor either electrically or pneumatically.

2. In a door operating mechanism, the combination of a fluid pressure motor for the door. electric means for controlling the operation of the motor, and pneumatic means for also controlling the operation of said motor.

3. In a door operating mechanism, the

combination of a fluid pressure motor for the door, electric means for controlling the operation of the motor, and pneumatic means for also controlling the operation of said motor, and a single handle for controlling both of said means.

1. In a door operating mechanism, the combination of a fluid pressure motor for the door, a valve therefor, electric means for controlling the operation of said valve, and a manual valve for also controlling the operation of the said valve.

5. In a door operating mechanism, the

combination of a fluid pressure motor for the door, a valve therefor, a fluid pressure device for shifting said valve, a magnet valve for controlling the fluid pressure acting on said device, and a manual valve for also controlling said fluid pressure.

6. In a door operating mechanism, the combination of a fluid pressure motor for the door, an electric means for controlling the operation of the. motor, a switch therefor, a manual valve for also controlling the operation of the motor, and a single handle for the switch and valve.

7. In a door operating mechanism, thecombination of a fluid'pressure motor for the door, an electric means for controlling the operation of the motor, a switch there for, a manual Valve for also controlling the operation of the motor, and a single handle for the switch andvalve, and adapted by one movement to close the switch and by another movement to open the valve.

8. In a door operating mechanism, the combination of a door motor, a valve for controlling the fluid pressure-to operate said motor, a piston device for actuating said valve, a manual valvefor controlling a sup-- ply of fluid pressure to said piston, and a magnet valve for also. admitting fluid to combination of a door motor, a valve for controlling the fluid pressure to operate said motor, a piston device for actuating said combination of a door motor, a valve forcontrolling the fluid pressure to operate said motor, a piston device for actuating said valve, a manual. valve for controlling a supply of fluid pressure to said Piston, a magnet valve for also admitting fluid to actuate said piston, said magnet having a circuit with switch contacts mounted on the manual valve, and a single handle for operating said valve and. switch.

11. In a door operating mechanism, the combination of a door motor, a valve for controlling the fluid pressure to operate said motor, a piston for shifting said valve to one position, and amagnet valve device operating-when'energized tosupply fluid to said valve operating piston, and when deenergized to exhaust fluid from said piston.

12. In a door operating mechanism, the combination of a door motor, a valve for controlling the fluid pressure to operate said door, a piston device for shifting said valve to one position,'a magnet valve device for controlling a supply and release of fluid to and from said piston, and a manually operated valve for also controlling a supply and .release of fluid to and from said piston.

relation between the car doors and the plat-.

form for also controlling the operation of said motors.

15. In a car door operating mechanism, the combination with a plurality of car doors and motors therefor, of manually operated means for controllingthe operation of said motors, and means governedby the relation between the car doors and the platform for preventing the opening of such a $125 g doors as are not oppositethe platform.

16.. In a car door operating mechanism, the combination with a plurality of car doors and motors therefor, of manually operated means for controlling the operation of said motors from a single point, and

means governed by the position of the respeotive .car doors relative to the platform along the track for controlling the operation of said motors independently of each other. I

17. In a car door operating mechanism, the combination with a plurality of car doors, and motors therefor, of electric circuits and a'manually operated. switch for 2% inserted in the control connection to said door motor for interrupting its operation and governed by the relation between the car and the platform along the track.

19. In a car door mechanism, the combination with a plurality of car doors and motors therefor, of electric means for controlling the operation of said door motors from a single point, switches located in the circuits to the respective door motors, and devices governed by the relation between the car and platform for opening and closing said switches.

20. In a car door mechanism, the combination with a plurality of car doors and motors therefor, of electric means for controlling the operation of said doormotors from a single point, switches located in the circuits to the respective door motors, pivoted arms mounted on the car and adapted to engage an object along the track for operating said switches, and means normally holding said arms in an extended position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ALBERT GOTTSCHALK. 

